Results 1-20 of 397 for at speaker:Barry Ward

Seanad: Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Human Trafficking) Bill 2023: Second Stage (16 May 2024)

Barry Ward: In welcoming the Bill on behalf of the Fine Gael group, I acknowledge what the Minister of State said about the genesis of this Bill and the fact Private Members’ Bills from Senators in this House, particularly from Senator Regina Doherty, have given rise to many of the provisions in this Bill. It is worthy of recognition that the Government sometimes does listen to what...

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Barry Ward: I congratulate the Minister of State on the legislation. This is a very important Bill. It is also a very weighty one, containing 220 sections. The job it is designed to do is a mammoth one, so it is very important. It is quite shocking that up to now we have not had proper regulation of such an enormous industry. I acknowledge that it is an enormous industry, not just in terms of the...

Seanad: Gambling Regulation Bill 2022: Second Stage (14 May 2024)

Barry Ward: -----have to be vetted? How practicable is that? Has consideration been given to how that gambling exclusion register will operate? It is a helpful element, particularly in the context of the potential pitfalls that come with online gambling and placing the obligation on those providing the services to have that in place. It is a very important element but I wonder how functional it is...

Seanad: Europe Day: Statements (9 May 2024)

Barry Ward: I welcome the Minister of State to the Chamber and congratulate her. This is the first time we have been in the Chamber at the same time. I was delighted with her appointment as Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs and wish her the very best in a job I know she will do in her usual style and with great excellence. I am delighted that she is here for Europe Day. I...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó (Atógáil) - Order of Business (Resumed) (24 Apr 2024)

Barry Ward: I want to raise a number of issues, primarily in light of the decision that was made by the Taoiseach correctly to issue an apology to the families of the Stardust victims. In that context, one issue I have raised on a number of occasions in this Chamber is the lack of action by the Government and successive Governments with regard to the victims of thalidomide, who have been waiting a much...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: EU Regulations and Directive on International Protection, Asylum and Migration: Discussion (23 Apr 2024)

Barry Ward: Finally, I ask about the Dublin III regulation. The Minister mentioned that it was inefficient and it is, to a large extent, broken, which many people would say. Does the Minister have any apprehension that, if it was to operate the way it was supposed to, we would be obliged, as a member of the European pact, to take a proportion of asylum seekers? The Dublin III regulation obviously...

Committee on Key Issues affecting the Traveller Community: Give Travellers the Floor: Discussion (18 Apr 2024)

Barry Ward: Gabhaim buíochas leis an gCathaoirleach. I will not take her five minutes. First, I recognise the Cathaoirleach. It has been an honour to serve in the Seanad with her. She and I joined at the same time. In fact, notwithstanding her prejudice, I understand her family might have speculated about my status as a Traveller or otherwise with a name like "Ward", but I have had the...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (28 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: Many of our athletes are still in the qualification process for the Olympic Games in Paris this year. I wish all of them good luck and I congratulate those who have already qualified. I am thinking in particular of Jack Marley, a boxer from Monkstown, which is in my area. We do not hear enough about these athletes and what they have already achieved in qualifying for the Olympics. We also...

Seanad: European Arrest Warrant (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (22 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: ...move amendment No. 2: In page 6, to delete line 16 and substitute the following: “(i) by the deletion of “against”, and”. Fáiltím freisin roimh na páistí ó Holy Child. It is great to see the interest of students to come to Leinster House because, at the end of the day, this is a building that belongs to them, and everything we do...

Seanad: European Arrest Warrant (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (22 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: I move amendment No. 18: In page 9, line 8, to delete “without delay”. At a number of points in the amending Bill, it is proposed to amend the 2003 Act to require judicial authorities and others to do things "without delay",which is the phrase that is used. The reason I seek to remove that is not by any means to encourage delay, but to acknowledge the fact that I think it...

Seanad: European Arrest Warrant (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (22 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: Amendment No. 23 deals with the amendment to section 16(i) of the 2003 Act. The reason I raise this issue is that I think it is at variance with what the Minister of State said regarding other aspects. I do not dispute his bona fides in this regard but section 16(1) states: Where a person does not consent to his or her surrender to the issuing state or has withdrawn his or her consent...

Seanad: European Arrest Warrant (Amendment) Bill 2022: Committee Stage (22 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: The European arrest warrant framework is hugely important. It should not at any point be underestimated how complex it is and how much jurisprudence there is on it. Consolidating this Bill with the existing 2003 legislation is important. I ask the Minister of State and the Department to give consideration to passing a consolidated Act where everything is in the one place. I put on record...

Seanad: Second Anniversary of Russian Invasion of Ukraine: Statements (22 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: I also extend welcome to the ambassadors of Lithuania and Ukraine. Throughout the entirety of her tenure here, H.E. Larysa Gerasko has been dealing with this situation. It is awful and difficult to understand. In that regard, I will start with the Minister of State’s concluding remarks. The illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia reverberates across the world. There is no country in...

Seanad: Situation in Palestine: Motion (21 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: I acknowledge the importance of this motion and how comprehensive it is. It is not a short document. It amounts to five pages on the Order Paper. It contains much by way of suggestions on what we can actually do. It is constructive and positive. If the Government were in any doubt about what avenues were open to it, this motion would offer suggestions. I am not necessarily saying every...

Seanad: Situation in the Middle East: Statements (Resumed) (20 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: I thank the Minister of State. We have had an important discussion. What is extraordinary about this is that there is now worldwide recognition that what Israel has been doing is illegal, unjustifiable, disproportionate and contrary to all international law. That is the consensus that has grown in sensible countries. Of course, there are countries, many of which have a very particular...

Seanad: Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 2024: Second Stage (14 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: On behalf of the Fine Gael group, I am very happy to welcome this Bill. It sets out some important issues we need to discuss in this Chamber. At the outset, I acknowledge the work the Minister, Deputy McEntee, my party colleague, has done in the area. As Minister for Justice, she has put particular emphasis on the resolution of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, which all Members...

Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality: General Scheme of the Garda Síochána (Recording Devices) (Amendment) Bill: Discussion (13 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: I will first say that I appear in court on behalf of the Garda Commissioner and I am a member of the ICCL. I do not believe that either circumstance conflicts me, but I wanted to declare it at the outset. The questions I wish to ask relate to false positives and the concerns in that regard. I have listened to what the Garda has said about this essentially being a data-processing tool...

Seanad: An tOrd Gnó - Order of Business (8 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: I want to raise the same issue. What I want to say is not a political commentary on what has happened but to say that sports and politics do not mix. What is really unfortunate about this situation is that individual players who only want to play the game and do their best to represent Ireland are now being put at the centre of a political controversy. They do not deserve that. What is...

Seanad: Death of Former Taoiseach: Expressions of Sympathy (7 Feb 2024)

Barry Ward: Like others, I join in expressing my condolences to the Bruton family and our colleague Richard.John was a young man both in heart and in body and, at 76, too young to die. Throughout his career, he was young for what he was doing. He left office as Taoiseach just after he turned 50, so the fact that he continued to be so involved in public life, but in a very understated way, is a credit...